Automatic gas-valve.



RJT. EVANS & W. G. NORD.

AUTOMATIC GAS VALVE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911.

Patented July 9, 1912.

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ROBERT '1. EVANS AND WALTER G. NORD, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC GAS-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uly9, 1912.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that we, Bonner T. EvANs and W LTER Gr. Noumcitizens of the United States, andresidents of Youngstown, county of Mahoning, State of :Ohio, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Gas-Valves, of which the :following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best .mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

Our improved automatic gas valve is the subject of this invention, and it is thought .that the simplicity and mode of operation are a considerable improvement over anything heretofore .used in this way.

To the accomplishment of these and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

of the various mechanical forms in which; the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing :In the figure, the gas pipeor other fluid conductor A is shown .havingxa valve B adapted to be seated in the valve seat .0, thus completely stopping the flowof fluid in the pipe. This pipe, furthermore, has a collar D screw- .threaded and engaged with complementary threads onthe inside of the pipe. Arectangular chamber E is tightly fitted about-this collar, and incloses a bellows F which, at its lower end, makes a fluid tight jointwith the collar D, and at its upper end is con- .nected to the stem G which, at its lower end, is in connection with the valve B. A rod 1-1 is attached to the upper endof the valve stem G and passes through an aperture in the chamber E, its upperend being connected with the member I formed in the shape of a runway which is mounted oscillatorily about the rod -J, mounted on the chamber E. This -runway,-pivoted at J, has

a long arm L, and a much shorter arm M, the long arm being in-the normal position of the valve, vertically higher than the shorter arm. A weighted ball N is adapted to roll freely in the runway L, and in the normal position of the parts shown in the figure is, at the lower end of the runway, A

and movable weight.

screw-bolt O in engagement with the end of the runway, and 'recip rocable therein, is

provided to retain the ball at any desired point in the lower end of the runway. As this valve is adapted to be used in connection with a city gas vmain, the pressure in which is usually considerably less than one pound, it will be seen that the bellows are expanded into the position shown in the figure by a very slight pressure. It is necessary, therefore, to be able to retain the weighted ball at a very slight distance from the ,point of oscillation of the runway, as our valve is also adapted to automatically close the pipe upon a decrease in pressure, this action being secured by the lowering of the runway and the rolling of the weighted ball to the position shown in the dotted lines. The leverage thus obtained by the ball about the point of pivot- J must be suiticient to nary pressure but this would tend to make the valve slow in closing and insensitive to comparatively small fluctuations, which we desire to guard against. For these reasons, the auxiliary positive locking device is provided, as here shown, but may of course'comprise any similar or equivalent mechanism.

Pivotally mounted on the pin R on the side of the chamber E is a bell-crank lever Q one arm of which slides in the aperture S in the chamber. The lever is normally held spaced from the chamber by the helical spring T, mounted as shown.

' The member I is provided with a projection P having a shoulder thereon, and being adapted to engage the angle in the bellcrank lever with the shoulder, when the member is in the lower position as shown by the dotted lines. The member isthus securely locked in this position and no increase in the fluid pressure can re-open it.

The mode of operation is obvious, and is suggested by the dotted lines. of the fig re,

purpose with rubber.

The gas is intended to enter the pipe as shown by the arrows, and the pressure thereof is adapted to expand the bellows into the position shown in the full lines. This will, accordingly, raise the valve stem, opening the valve B and likewise elevating the longer part of the runway and rotating the same about the pivot J. The position of the ball will then be as shown. Lowering the pressure will cause the bellows to telescope into the,position shown in the dotted lines, thereby lowering the valve stem and seating the valve. This act-ion in turn oscillates the runway about its pivot, and the ball rolls freely down the same effectively closing the valve. With proper adjustment and a sufiiciently long runway, it will be obvious that once closed this valve. can only be opened by human agency.

The bellows used in our automatic valve is preferably made of copper, or other metallic material, by reason of the longer life thereof and equal flexibility for this This valve is, of course, adapted to be used with other fluids besides gas, such as water and various liquids in transmission.

One of the principal advantages of our improved valve and closing mechanism lies in the fact that the closing mechanism may be adjustedto operate after a given drop in the pressure. This adjustment can of course take place only within the limits of the rigidity of the bellows since this is the only element directly operated by the pressure. Within these limits, however, adjustment may be secured by placing the weighted ball at various distances from the pivot point of the runway by means of the bolt 0.

By marking various points on the runway at Which the ball might be retained a method of adjusting the valve mechanism to close at any desired reduction in pressure is provided. This feature of our automatic valve is obviously a considerable improvement by reason of making the valve adjustable to any desired pressure drop, the adjustment being simple and accurate, while requiring very little time.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention 1. In a device of the character described,

the combination with fluid'pressure oper ated mechanism; of an oscillatory member; a weight adapted to move by gravity along said member, the latter being connected with said mechanism and operable thereby upon a change in such fluid-pressure, and

said weight being adapted thereupon to retain said mechanism in a fixed position against succeeding changes in fluid pressure; and adjustable means mounted on said member and adapted to regulate the limiting position of said weight, when said member is in its normal position.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with fluid pressure operated mechanism; of an oscillatory member; a weight adapted to move by gravity along said member, the latter being connected with said mechanism and operable thereby upon a change in such fluid pressure, and said weight being adapted thereupon to retain said mechanism in a fixed position against succeeding changes in fluid pressure; and a second member mounted on said first-named member and adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally therein, thereby regulating the limiting position of said weight, when said first named member isin its normal position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with fluid-pressure operated mechanism; of means, including a cylindrical runway oscillatorily mounted upon a horizontal axis, and a weighted ball adapted to move in said runway upon oscillation thereof, said means being operated by said mechanism upon a change in such fluidpressure and being'adapted thereupon to retain said mechanism in a fixed position against succeeding changes in pressure; and a reciprocably mounted member at the normally lower end of said runway adapted to position said ball therein, thereby permitting operation of said first-named means only upon a predetermined change. in such fluid-pressure.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with fluid-pressure operated mechanism; of means, including a cylindrical runway oscillatorily mounted upon a horizontal axis, and a weighted ball adapted to move in said runway upon oscillation thereof, said means being operated by said mechanism upon a change in such fluidpressure and being adapted thereupon to re tain said mechanism in a fixed position against succeeding changes in pressure; and a screw-bolt mounted at the normally lower end of said runway and adapted to position said ball therein, thereby permitting operation of said first-named means only upon a predetermined change in such fluid-pressure.

5. The combination. with a fluid conduit having a valve therein; of a casing adapted to be attached exteriorly to the valve chamber; a bellows in said casing attached to the stem of said valve and adapted to be operated by the fluid pressure; and a cylindrical runway mountedoscillatorily on said casing, said valve stem being attached to said runway at a point spaced from the axis thereof; a weighted ball in said runway only under the existence of predetermined 10 conditions.

Signed by us, this 19 day of May, 1911.

ROBERT T. EVANS. WALTER o. NORD.

Attested by- ALBERT P. S'rooKER, HORACE L. WILSON.

adapted to move therealong by gravity, and means for normally retaining said ball at a predetermined distance from the axis of said runway, whereby said bellows is 0perated by the fluid-pressure only upon a change in the latter equal to the weight of said ball times the distance to the axis, thereby permitting movement of said valve Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. c. 

